butler



(No Model.) I V I S. D. BUTLER.

FIRE Esonn,

Patented Feb. 19,1884.

INVENTOR WITNESSES wbwm ,1 aims; ,g ATTORNEYS N. FETERS. PMlwLilhngmPher. Wasl uin UNITED 3 m ATENT FFicE.

SPENCER D. BUTLER, OF MARSHFIELD, QREGON.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,627, dated February 19,1884.

Application, filed June 6, 1883. (N model.) I

- citizen of the United States, residing at Marsh- Fig. 2 is a plan view.

field, in the county of Coos and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has relation to improvements in flexible fire-escapes; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of a reoeptacle in which the flexible escape is stored when the same is not in use; and the invention further consists in the combination of various devices, whereby persons may easily and quickly make their exit from a burning building and safely descend to the ground, all as willbe hereinafter more fully explained.

The annexed drawings, to which reference is made, fully illustrate my invention, in which Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a side view of the escape.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by letter, A designates a receptacle for the ladder B when the same is not in use, which receptacle may be an article of furniturea washstandor the like, or a box, as-shown in the drawings. In either case the same'is provided witha lid or cover, a, which may be hinged thereto, if desired. Said lid is provided with a recess, b, that is closed by a door, a, on its under side, and the same is designed to re-- ceive an escape, which is used in lowering children, persons, and parcels, as will be further hereinafter explained. 'Ihebox A is provided with eyebolts' d at each end, through which passes a rod, 6, that is secured at each endto the floor of the building, directly be'-. neath the window, and it is of sufficient length to extend far enough to one side of the window to allow the box to be shifted to one side, out of the way of said window. To the inside of the box or receptacle one end of the flexible ladder is secured, while the opposite end is rangement of the same'takes up very little On the inner side of the box, adjoining wall and window, I provide a cushion, f,- that is secured at one of its edges to the box, and serves to protect the rope, when lowering the bag, and the window-sill from injury from the iron or steel ladder in case of alarm.

The letter 9 represents a metal plate secured to the inner side of the box, and it is provided at one end with a projection or pin, h, on which may be a pulley, if desired, and at the other end the plate is provided with a cleat, 'i, which arrangement is designed to be used with the escape, which consists of a strong rope, one end-0f which is made fast to a pad or front piece, 1, which may be made as a stout sack or bag, for the purposeof lowering children and valuables, the same being provided with three straps, k k while the opposite end of the rope is free and, when lowering the bag to the ground,'passes under the pin h, thereby enabling a person to lower the same with but little laborand with safety. Said straps, when a between the legs, up the back, over the 'persons shoulder, and buckles in front to the buckle 70 The bag is particularly serviceable to lower children and valuable articles, parcels, &c., by filling the bag therewith, when the escape is not in use in lowering adults. The eleat above mentioned serves to secure the rope, when lowering the bag or person, if the unused portions of said rope should become tangled, thus allowing the operator to straightenit out.

A fire-escape constructed as above described is simple in operation, and the receptacle could a be made ornamental, to serve as an article of furniture, and at the same time all the appli ances are stored within the receptacle, and are therefore hidden from view, and if the escape is placed in the top story of the building, the same can be used by persons in the lower rooms in descending, as the escape, when lowered, will pass directly in front of the lower win dows, which are in line with the escape or top window, and it will be observed that a fireescape as herein set forth is cheaply manufactured, and can be placed in the room without injury to the building.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fire-escape, the combination, with the receptacle A, constructed and arranged as described, of the inclined plate or bar y, seoured to the inside of the receptacle, and provided with a pin, 71, at its lower end, and the cleat i at its upper end, said cleat and pin or stud adapted to operate in connection with the rope of an escape, whereby said escape is lowered, as described.

the escape to the wearer, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 25 presence of two witnesses.

SPENCER D. BUTLER.

Vitnesses:

JOHN CHURCH, S. R. CRAWFORD. 

